AI security: is my translation data safe?

So we’re here to put your worries to rest.

In this guide, we’ll dive into AI security for Lokalise AI, including what is AI translation, encryption, compliance, access controls, data handling practices, and more.

We will also explore some best practices for safeguarding your data in the age of generative AI translation, especially when integrating software internationalization practices to ensure data security during localization processes.

How we keep your data safe with Lokalise AI

While AI offers efficiency and accuracy, there are concerns about what happens to your data during and after translation and localization. Is it stored, is it used for training, and are there added risks and vulnerabilities?

At Lokalise, not only do we follow best data security practices, we make sure our partners do too.

That’s why Lokalise AI works only with trusted AI providers, such as OpenAI and Anthropic. Together, we take these top security measures to make sure your data is in safe hands:

• State-of-the-art encryption
• Compliance with industry standards
• Robust access controls
• Regular security audits
• Strong data handling practices
• Safeguarding against data leaks
• Preparation for redundancy and disaster recovery
• Continuous threat monitoring and detection
• Transparency and trust

State-of-the-art encryption

AI providers offer their models in two ways: 

• Through consumer chat apps, like ChatGPT or Claude
• Via business API platforms, which let companies build those models directly into their products, applications, and services.

Lokalise AI connects to its providers through their APIs, to securely send data back and forth. Lokalise routes each translation to the best-performing model for the job. Once data leaves Lokalise AI, it's transferred through Transport Layer Security (TLS)* to secure both data in transit and at rest. This means your data is protected throughout its lifecycle. 

*TLS is the industry standard for encrypting and protecting your data.

Compliance with industry standards

Compliance with industry standards is essential for maintaining a secure AI translation infrastructure. Lokalise AI and our AI providers adhere to rigorous security certifications, including ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, and GDPR. These certifications demonstrate our commitment to data privacy, security, and regulatory compliance. 

Robust access controls

Lokalise AI and our AI providers enforce strict access controls and implement strong authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access. These measures ensure that only authorized personnel, with appropriate permissions, can access and handle sensitive data. 

Regular security audits

Our AI providers take a proactive approach to security audits to ensure the integrity and resilience of their infrastructure. They carry out regular security audits to identify any weaknesses or gaps in security measures, allowing for prompt action. 

Strong data handling practices

Lokalise and our AI providers follow strict data handling procedures, including data minimization, purpose limitation, and secure deletion when data is no longer needed. Our agreements with AI providers prohibit them from using your content or metadata to train their models. Retention depends on the provider: Anthropic (Claude) uses a zero-retention policy, and OpenAI may keep data for up to 30 days for abuse monitoring only, then permanently deletes it.

Safeguarding against data leaks

Protecting confidential corporate information is a top priority at Lokalise and our AI providers. We take measures to prevent data leaks and unauthorized access to sensitive data, including monitoring user data for potential leaks, implementing strict access controls, and educating employees on data privacy and security protocols. 

Prepare for Redundancy and Disaster Recovery

A redundant system and backup mechanisms are employed by Lokalise and our AI providers to mitigate the impact of system failures or disasters. This helps prevent data loss and downtime, so you can continue to leverage AI translation without any interruptions.

Monitor and detect threats continuously

Our AI providers use advanced security monitoring tools to detect and mitigate potential security threats in real-time. Continuous threat detection helps maintain a secure AI translation environment and provides early warning of potential breaches.

Implementing an AI detector can further enhance these security measures by identifying anomalies indicative of unauthorized access or data leaks.

Foster transparency and trust

Transparency and trust are foundational principles in AI translation security. Our AI providers maintain a transparent approach to security by documenting their security policies and practices. This transparency allows customers to understand how their data is handled, stored, and secured, fostering trust and confidence in the platform. By partnering with providers that prioritize transparency and actively engage with customers, you can build a strong foundation of trust in your AI translation processes.

Educate and empower your team

Finally, you need to always educate your team about AI translation security and keep them up to date. By training employees on safe and proper use of AI translation tools, you can prevent or lessen the risk of human error. This training should include guidelines on data sharing, an overview of language learning models and their potential risks, and approval processes for using AI translation services. Best AI translation tools often come with built-in security features, but by fostering a culture of security awareness, you can empower your team to actively contribute to AI translation security.

In Lokalise AI, what customer data do we actually use?

Lokaise AI only uses the following data to translate your content:

• Source content and translated content (in some features)
• Metadata about languages
• Metadata about keys and translations (e.g. character limit, key description, translation context)
• Glossary terms
• Uploaded style guides
• Additional context provided for AI jobs

Conclusion: embrace AI for translation knowing your data is safe

AI translation services have the potential to speed up your translation process while cutting costs. But, you need to make sure you choose the right service that fits your data security obligations and understand how AI translation works to ensure it's implemented effectively and responsibly.

Lokalise AI implements robust AI security measures in collaboration with trusted AI providers like OpenAI and Anthropic, so you can translate at speed, in bulk, with context—and with confidence.

Want to see what Lokalise AI can do? Book a demo or watch Lokalise AI in action.